Today we’d like to introduce you to Umna Khan
Hi Umna, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I’m a designer, marketing consultant, business owner and the founder of UMNA, a luxury accessories and clothing brand. I’ve always been creative and passionate about designing, but I never imagined it evolving beyond a personal hobby. Building my brand was a fulfilling moment, and it really brings my journey full circle.
To provide some context, my initial career after college was in clinical cancer research— it was something I thought I needed to do as a tribute to my dad. Before his passing, I had promised him I would achieve something significant with my life, honoring his sacrifices as an immigrant and hardworking rice farmer. I soon realized how much I hated being around the subject matter and couldn’t see this as my calling. After only two months, I resigned and moved back home to California, feeling completely directionless.
My misery and unemployment prompted me to reflect and reconnect with my artistic side. I started drawing again and sharing my artwork on social media. The positive response I received led to the creation of Umna Khan ChariTEES, a line of t-shirts with 100% of the proceeds supporting tuition costs for young orphan girls in Pakistan and aid for Sudan.
I’d say this is when the lightbulb in my head turned on. My true passion wasn’t in selling products, but in connecting people to stories and a purpose—two things that make for great marketing in my opinion. Realizing this, I took a leap of faith and relocated to Los Angeles just to take one single graduate marketing course. It wasn’t a strategic or well thought out decision, but I was determined to use this as a launchpad. Luckily my stars aligned and my incredibly talented professor hired me to work for her new agency. I mean it when I say I taught myself everything in order to be valuable anywhere.
For the next seven years, I grew my marketing expertise in different industries including finance, entertainment, and technology, all while trying to find the right fit and putting my design dreams on the back burner. At the same time I went through my fair share of relocations, and other big life changes that felt like significant setbacks. The only thing I thought was in my control was my work, so I held on to that as hard as I could.
As the universe had planned, I ended up getting laid off right before my wedding in 2022. This obviously forced me to take a beat and reflect carefully on what the next chapter was going to look like. I had jumped from one job to another, with zero downtime in between, so I never knew how to be intentional with this. By no means was I in the “right” position to start a business. I just knew I wanted to feel in control, be happy and fill my cup through work I actually felt connected to. It was a scary decision to let go of a stable 9-5 and enter a world of complete uncertainty, but I had way too many “life is short” moments to let it deter me. Regardless of my circumstances at the time, I’m glad I started and went all in when I did.
For the following year and a half— I changed my business idea 30 times, bootstrapped the start up costs by freelancing, traveled to Pakistan to source materials and produce my first collection with my mom, and pulled together everything to market myself correctly. I finally got to launch my online storefront in December 2023 and the reception has been incredible. I started exclusively with clothing and moved into the accessories space with the launch of our very own crystal watermelon clutch earlier this year. We’ve dedicated this piece to be a symbol of solidarity with Palestine and donate part of our proceeds to go towards different organizations providing aid in Gaza. It’s been incredible to see how many amazing communities and customers I’ve been able to connect with from our shared values for humanity.
I will say that navigating all the responsibilities of being a sole entrepreneur—designer, logistics coordinator, marketer, and more—can be overwhelming. The accompanying burnout can feel defeating, but the greater impact and purpose of my work has always been a tether that keeps me going. I’m so grateful that I have the privilege to do what I love and connect with consumers who believe in doing the right thing.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I can’t imagine any entrepreneur saying yes to this question, because a smooth road probably doesn’t get you anywhere. For me, “struggles” have been there since day one, but I wouldn’t have come to this point if they weren’t. For that reason, I’ve learned to reframe them as “teachable moments”
One of my biggest teachable moments was partnering with a bad manufacturer early on, which wasted both precious time and money. Obviously, this decision taught me the importance of being thorough in your research and due diligence, but it came at a high cost, which I couldn’t afford…literally. Then I was embarrassed and hesitant to network or reach out for help. I didn’t have a fully functional business or a well-established brand, and I mistakenly believed that I couldn’t seek guidance with just an idea. That isolation made the journey even harder as I navigated challenges alone, missing out on valuable advice and support from potential mentors.
To bootstrap my business, I simultaneously freelanced as a marketing consultant. While this helped keep my venture afloat financially, it also meant that I spent a significant amount of my creative energy on other clients. By the end of the day, I would find it hard to save enough creativity and motivation for my own brand, slowing my progress. This moment brought clarity on how to manage my time and my mental health.
I can’t forget to mention the pressure to please everyone, which has led to hasty decisions that didn’t always align with my vision for the brand. I convinced myself that I couldn’t afford to make any mistakes because I cared too much of what people thought or saw. I felt like I had to prove myself as someone who makes right decisions after all the rejection I had gone through. I downplayed a lot of what I did because I was new and small in the game. This is probably more of a self-inflicted struggle, but it’s important to mention because you learn that validation has to come from within. If you live off of people’s praise, you will also die from their criticism.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about UMNA?
UMNA is a luxury fusion brand that reimagines classic and traditional clothing. As someone who loves embracing the unconventional, I wanted to blend contemporary silhouettes with intricate, handcrafted details inspired by the vibrance of Pakistani artisanship. I also believe in freedom of expression, so I wanted to infuse that ethos into the fabric of my creations.
The brand launched online in December of 2023, which was a pretty difficult time. We were witnessing an ongoing genocide in Gaza, which made everything else in the world feel so trivial. It felt selfish to sell my products at first, but I had no other income, and my savings were just about gone in the process of setting up this business. I decided I had to keep going forward and be somewhat helpful in what felt like a hopeless situation. Outside of using my voice, which is always rooted in love, I had to use my work to amplify those same messages. Since our launch, we have pledged to donate a part of our proceeds from all purchases to different organizations helping innocent civilians in Gaza.
Along with our formal wear, which is still evolving, we debuted our best-selling crystal watermelon clutch at the beginning of the year, expanding into the accessories space. Of course, it’s a statement piece as it stands, but what makes it so powerful is the intention behind it. The watermelon symbolizes Palestinian solidarity and, truthfully, the liberation of any and all oppressed people. As I continue to launch new accessories and dresses this year, they’ll all be brought in with the same sense of greater purpose.
Being rooted in integrity is something that sets us apart and I feel really proud to stand by that.
If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
Growing up, I was quiet and shy, but always super creative and colorful. I would sit in a corner and draw different designs all day, learn how to play a new instrument every other year, cut up and stitch little details on my clothing, and teach myself how to dance whenever I was in my room alone. I had such an extroverted personality but I kept so much of that artistic expression to myself when I was younger. It wasn’t until high school where I finally felt courageous enough to share that. Truthfully, I think a lot of it stems from being a first-generation Pakistani American. I know this is a shared experience, but I often felt self-conscious and out of place. I wanted to be like the girls I went to school with and I never celebrated the possibility of being different. I almost convinced myself that people wouldn’t allow that or that it may draw the wrong kind of attention.
Personality-wise, I lived so colorfully and boldly, but in reality, I would tone it down because I never wanted to stand out in a bad way. I loved being goofy, but I didn’t want to be made fun of. I was really hardworking but didn’t take risks. It’s funny to see how much that’s changed. My heart was in the right place but I struggled being authentic and unapologetic. I wanted so much for myself, but I let people’s impression of me control a lot of that.
I’m incredibly blessed because my mom and dad made me believe I had something extraordinary to offer the world. Growing up, they conditioned me to step out of my comfort zone because I was destined to have a bold and beautiful life. They taught me that the world was going to make noise no matter what I did, so I might as well listen to my heart and be happy doing what I love. I needed that push and unconditional support to embrace my creativity and let the world see my light.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://wearumna.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wearumna/
Image Credits
Philip Emerson Photography
